Overcome Chronic Lyme Disease

How to Overcome Chronic Lyme Disease with Natural Herbal Therapy

Likely, you have come to this page inhopes of sorting out some of the confusion surrounding Lyme disease.There is so much controversy around this disease because most doctors don’t understand it. Even many doctors who consider themselves experts do not completely comprehend its complexities.But I have one qualification that most other physicians do not. My life—and medical career—were disrupted midstream by fibromyalgia, later diagnosed as Lyme disease. My forties were marked by having every known symptom of Lyme disease.After years of struggle, I was able to completely overcome these stealthy microbes using an herbal protocol that I refined over the span of a decade.Granted, the road to recovery is a series of ups and downs that looks different for each person. But overall, my health has rebounded completely and I am now looking forward to enjoying what I lost in my forties during my sixties.In addition, I have had the great privilege of helping hundreds of other Lyme disease patients in their own journeys of healing.

The symptoms began slowly…When I first developed symptoms, I was working late nights on call at the hospital. After years of keeping an irregular sleep schedule, a diet of mostly processed foods, and unrelenting stress, my immune system started to get worn down.I started to experience bouts of sleeplessness, joint pain, fatigue and brain fog. After several months, my condition worsened and I began experiencing sharp and throbbingmuscle pain, overwhelming fatigue, tingling in my fingers and toes, debilitating chest pain, and irregular heart beats.

I Tried Antibiotics FirstWhen I was first diagnosed with Lyme disease, my first response was to try antibiotics, but every time I started a new round, I would be absolutely miserable by the second week.Nausea, abdominal discomfort, and generally feeling terrible all over increased until I would have to stop the medication. Probiotics didn’t help and the same response occurred to different types of antibiotics.While some people tolerate antibiotic therapy better than others, it became obvious that I would have to find a different solution.Many Lyme doctors would advocate long-term use of IV antibiotics (months to years), but there is no evidence to support this practice and it is strongly discouraged by the conventional medical community.As I dug deeper into research, it became clearer why antibiotics are not an ideal solution for Borrelia burgdorferi, which are the stealthy microbes that cause Lyme disease.

Why Antibiotics May Not Work for Lyme Disease

​#1. Borrelia’s corkscrew shape can bore deep into tissuesBorrelia, the stealthy microbe that causes Lyme disease, has a corkscrew shape that allows it to bore deep into tissues and cartilage (including the brain and nervous system), safely out of reach of most antibiotics.When necessary, Borrelia can give up its corkscrew shape and convert to a form that is able to live inside cells (“intracellular”) where again, antibiotics have less reach.#2. Borrelia can form dormant cystsBorrelia, along with other stealth microbes, can form dormant cysts that are completely resistant to antibiotics; the harder you hit it, the more resistant it becomes.#3. Microbial coinfections complicate recoveryBorrelia is usually accompanied and aided by co-infections of other stealth microbes that also live inside cells.#4. Stealth microbes become resistant to antibioticsAntibiotic resistance occurs at a high rate with these types of microbes. An antibiotic is one single chemical substance. Bacteria, such as Borrelia (and also the co-infections), respond slowly to antibiotics and have more time to develop resistance to the antibiotic.In other words, the longer they can hang on, the more likely they can eventually become completely resistant and the antibiotic becomes completely ineffective. Using multiple antibiotics at once seems to accelerate this process and alternating antibiotics doesn’t seem to help. Resistant bacteria become even harder to get rid of.#5. Antibiotics suppress the immune systemAntibiotics destroy the normal flora (friendly bacteria) in the gut and skin, causing bacterial imbalance and a host of other symptoms in the body. Most importantly, use of antibiotics suppresses immune function, which may present the greatest hurdle to recovery—you cannot get well without optimal immune function.#6. Borrelia can hide inside biofilmsBorrelia can exist in biofilms, which is a protected colony of microbes that form on a surface (such as plaque on your teeth), but what role this plays in Lyme disease is controversial. The symptom profile of Lyme disease suggests that it is not a biofilm disease and that biofilms are not a big factor in overcoming Lyme.#7. People are still searching for a solutionPossibly the most compelling suggestion that antibiotic therapy has significant limitations is this: if antibiotics really worked, people would not be searching for other solutions. But people are still scouring the Internet… by the thousands everyday.

Herbal Therapy—A Turning Point in my Recovery

Of all the other potential solutions I studied, herbal therapy stood out as the most sensible option. Herbs work by enhancing the healing systems of the body—a polar opposite approach to how drugs work.

7 Reasons Why Herbs Work for Lyme Disease:#1. Each herb contains a wide spectrum of natural chemicalsHerbs with antimicrobial properties each contain a wide spectrum of chemical substances that suppress microbes in different ways; therefore antibiotic resistance is almost unheard of, even with very long term use.

#2. Using multiple herbs together amplifies healing powerMultiple herbs can be used to gain overlapping benefit, in fact, this the preferred way of doing herbal therapy (a concept called “synergy”). Many herbs provide activity not only against bacteria, but also viruses, protozoa, and yeast (not found with any type of antibiotic).

#3. Herbs have extremely low toxicityThe potential for toxicity with herbal therapy is very low, so herbs can be used without concern for very long periods of time. In other words, instead of blasting them out with dynamite and causing collateral damage, herbs wear the microbes down over time without causing harm to the body.

#4. Herbs help your body overcome biofilmsHerbal and natural therapies have the ability to slowly etch away at any biofilms present (or enhance the ability of the immune system to do so).

#5. Herbs strengthen friendly bacteria in your bodyHerbs with antimicrobial properties support the normal flora in your body—while suppressing stealth microbes at the same time. This is a unique feature of plant medicines.

#6. Herbs support the immune systemHerbs enhance immune function and healing. This is one of the essential keys to getting well and one of the most important reasons of why herbs work. Herbs provide anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and other health enhancing properties.

#7. Herbs are not seen as foreign invadersThe chemical substances in herbs are not seen as foreign substances by the body and support all healing systems of the body. Herbs have the ability to balance hormones, improve energy, and improve stress tolerance.​In the course of investigating herbal options for overcoming Lyme disease, I came across a number of different protocols. Many were unnecessarily complex and convoluted, or not backed by credible evidence. But then I came across a book by a gifted herbalist and researcher named Stephen Buhner.The advice Buhner offered was practical and underscored the importance of using multiple herbs simultaneously at full therapeutic doses. The protocol was backed by hundreds of positive testimonials. All of the herbs had very favorable safety profiles and the protocol did not require use of antibiotics.Desperate, but also hope-filled, I ordered each of the listed herbal extracts from various online websites. Within a couple of weeks, I had worked up to a handful of capsules several times a day. And… it started working.The intestinal side effects that had been inherent with antibiotic therapy never happened and within weeks I started to crawl out of the hole of debilitation; the pain in my joints and muscles became tolerable and my chest pain started to ease.The Buhner protocol gave me a new lease on life, but I was determined to go further. As my health continued to improve, I immersed myself in the study of herbal therapy. I studied herbal traditions from different cultures, as well as the accumulated science and research available.Through this process, I discovered additional herbs with potent healing properties and added them to my herbal regimen.

How to Maximize Benefit from Herbal Therapy​As I continued the study of herbs, I realized that herbal therapy can be thought of as an orchestra of healing. In a symphony, no single instrument matters; rather, it’s the entire orchestra playing in perfect synchrony that makes beautiful music and creates a larger-than-life experience. The sound produced by each instrument is replaced by a unique sound created by the sum of all the instruments.Similarly, in herbal medicine, the sum of all the herbs in a formula is more powerfulthan each herb individually (a concept is called “synergy”). This is especially true formedicinal herbs that each contain a broad spectrum of antimicrobials, antivirals, and antioxidants. When these different herbs are taken together, it enhances the suppression of microbes hidden in your system and makes microbial resistance less likely to develop.Using herbs synergistically is highly recommended because the inherent toxicity of most herbs is so low. Achieving synergy with drug therapy (by using multiple drugs concurrently) is less practical because the inherent toxicities of each drug are amplified.Synergy is important, but it is only one component of effective herbal therapy. An orchestra comprised of seasoned musicians is much more effective than one created with amateurs. Likewise, the higher the quality of herbal ingredients, the more powerful the formula is going to be.Representation of ingredients is also very important. An orchestra with only one of each instrument would be complete, but weak compared to an orchestra with full sections of all instruments. Likewise, each ingredient in an herbal formula must be dosed properly to get the full effect.In summary, here are the qualifications for effective herbal therapy:

SynergyQualityPotencyDosage

Multiple ingredients with overlapping benefits is required for a therapeutic effect.The best herbal companies insist on third party testing throughout the manufacturing process (this includes COAs).*Higher quality herbal extracts are generally more potent—you get more bang for your buck. The highest potency herbal extracts are patented.All of the above qualifications can be met, but a therapeutic effect will not occur unless you take enough of each ingredient.*Third party testing for supplement quality includes Certificates of Analyses, which guarantee purity of ingredients and absence of contaminants, as well as multiple lab tests on each batch of products during manufacturing. Contact customer support to learn more about quality practices.​Did you know?

The majority of supplements on the market are severely underdosed, providing little benefit for the end user.

Tip: make a list of the top herbal and bioidentical ingredients that you want to use and indicate the recommended dosages. When looking for supplements, consider not only the price, but also the ingredient amount, serving size, and quality practices.

An Herbal Protocol that Works Faster and Better​Herbs may not be the answer for all diseases, but in light of how stealth microbes like Borrelia operate, herbal therapy satisfies all the necessary requirements for a successful recovery from Lyme disease.Thousands of positive testimonials across popular online forums and blogs also indicate that herbal therapy is a safe and effective method for overcoming Lyme disease.However, if you have attempted herbal therapy, you may have found that acquiring all the different herbal extracts in the right dosages can be a daunting task. This was my experience, and that of many of my patients.In fact, this is what led me to create my own Lyme disease regimen, where I combined an orchestra of the most potent medicinal extracts to support a successful recovery.

4 Formulas that Cover Every Aspect of RecoveryFormula #1: Suppress microbes and restore gut functionFound in A-Biotic | This synergistic formula extends beyond Buhner’s protocol to include herbs that are particularly good for suppressing hidden microbes and restoring gut health.One of the star ingredients is Allisure garlic extract, a patented form of garlic with the active “allicin” potentiated to 100% (as opposed to the 1-2% found in fresh garlic or aged garlic products).Allisure garlic protects against a wide range of bacteria, viruses, and yeast (including many of the microbes associated with Lyme).[1]This formula also includes sarsaparilla, which has strong evidence for suppressing microbes.[2] This antimicrobial herb also binds up “endotoxins”, which are pieces of dead bacteria that cause immune reactions, systemic inflammation, pain, and fatigue (called aHerxheimer reaction).[3] By binding up endotoxins, sarsaparilla helps to relieve symptoms of inflammation and pain in the joints, tissues, and gut.Formula #2: Boost immune function, reduce symptomsFound in Adaptogen Recovery | This formula works to synergistically improve immune function and reduce symptoms. It contains three key adaptogens (which help the body recover from demanding or stressful situations) and one important synergist (which helps boost the effectiveness of the other herbs).The three adaptogens chosen are particularly good for restoring immune function.In other words, they tune the immune system so it is more effective at eradicating microbes and viruses hidden inside your cells. These herbs also reduce “inflammatory cytokines”, the underlying cause of most of the symptoms (including pain and fatigue) associated with Lyme disease and fibromyalgia. This is essential for getting well.The functions of the three adaptogens are enhanced by Chinese skullcap, a potent synergist which also offers activity against viruses and mycoplasma, a common co-infection with Lyme disease and fibromyalgia.[4][5]Formula #3: Reduce inflammation, improve cardiac functionFound in Prevention Plus | This formula works to synergistically reduce tissue and vascular inflammation, enhance blood flow, and provide antioxidant support. Reducing tissue inflammation reduces pain and allows healing.Microbes associated with Lyme disease invade blood vessels and often compromise cardiac function.The 35 ingredients chosen for this product work together to improve blood flow and support healthy cardiac function.This formula includes resveratrol from Japanese knotweed, which offers a list of benefits: it dilates blood vessels, improves blood flow, inhibits platelet aggregation (thins blood), and mildly lowers LDL cholesterol.[5] Resveratrol is also protective of nerve tissue. Japanese knotweed (whole herb) is a “double duty” supplement offering antimicrobial properties against a wide range of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and yeast.[2]This formula includes additional antimicrobial, adaptogenic, and nutritional support (includes a full range of activated vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants essential for recovery).Formula #4: Reduce oxidative stress, support detoxificationFound in Mitochondrial Support | This formula works synergistically to reduce oxidative stress and support detoxification at the cellular level. The natural ingredients in this supplement are designed to counter damage caused by free radicals at a tissue level and inside cells. This is essential for restoring energy to the body at a cellular level. These same ingredients protect tissues from toxins and help remove toxins, including heavy metals from tissues.One of the primary ingredients is glutathione (in reduced form).Glutathione is an essential antioxidant inside cells for protecting mitochondria from free radical damage during generation of energy. Glutathione is also essential for phase II detoxification in the liver. Glutathione is a large molecule composed of three amino acids.[6] Intestinal absorption by oral administration of the reduced form has been documented in laboratory studies.[7]The daily regimen is simple: 3 capsules of each formula twice daily.

My Personal Experience​I’ve now personally been on this particular regimen for about five years. Though I’ve considered myself recovered for a long time, things seem to keep getting better every year. It turns out that it works as well for anti-aging as it does for Lyme disease.During my mid-forties, I assumed that I would be having multiple joint replacements by the time I hit 50. Now at age 57, my joints are better than when I was 30. No joint pain. My energy levels are sustained throughout the day and I am as active as I want to be.My receding hairline isn’t any longer, and my hair seems to have stopped graying. My senses (sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch) are as acute as when I was a young man. Mental focus is excellent.Though I have been recommending herbs in my practice for many years now, I’ve only been recommending this particular regimen to patients for about two years.Based on clinical experience from my practice, I would estimate that about 50% of patients who use this regimen will achieve very significant to remarkable resultsover a three-month period.Another 25% will achieve very good results. The next 20% will achieve benefit, but not as remarkable. The final 5% will gain marginal or no benefit. Note: very few side effects have been reported.Of course, benefits will continue to accrue if the supplements are continued past the three-month mark. How much benefit a person gains depends on that person’s baseline health and how strictly they adhere to the herbal protocol.

Disclaimer: I, (Teresa Biggins) am not a Medical Doctor, and cannot prescribe, cure or diagnose. Many of these articles have not been written by me. They have been copied , usually word for word from Web sites, periodicals, books and fliers. Not all agree with my position concerning some issues, but they are all excellently written with wonderful information in them. It is only by studying many positions that we can make OUR OWN informed decisions. The articles are gathered and presented this way in order to help you achieve that end easier. Full credit and the source is always given, and I encourage you to look the sources up, as most may have additional information. ALL information on any page is here for furthering your educational needs for the purpose of equipping you with information only, and not intended for prescribing, diagnosing, or curing any ailment you may have. These articles may not be misconstrued as medical advise or instruction. No action should be made based solely on these contents; instead readers should contact the appropriate health practitioner on any matter relating to their health, or well being. Readers who fail to consult with with appropriate health professionals assume the risk of any injury. Your body is your own to care for. No claims can be legally made about the information supplied on these pages. These instructional documents have been prepared as a narration or copy of what has been reported in the most effective way to use the product or gain knowledge about specific subjects or products. These are not endorsed by the AMA or the FDA. All are intended to be an honest report of what is known about these subjects for those who are interested.